Notorious............................

"It cannot be supposed that the half thus elected and who do not even reside among the people at large, can add anything either to the security of the people against the government, or to the knowledge of their circumstances and interests in the legislative councils.  On the contrary it is notorious that they are far more frequently the representatives and instruments of the executive magistrate, than the guardians and advocates of popular rights."
-Publius (James Madison), The Federalist No.56, The Federalist

Ed. Note:  To be fair, the "half thus elected" Madison refers to are members of the British House of Commons.  But still............